Defenders of Arus
The cadets start their new education on Arus, Keith tries to bring back the Black Lion, and an old enemy returns. __TOC__ Plot Summary Cold Open A drule ship is in space overlooking the Haggarian Quasar, a spacial area that resembles a familiar face. Commander Kala observes from a nearby command vessel. On her orders, the little ship's captain fires a probe, which is destroyed upon entering the Quasar. As if in response to the probe, the Quasar somehow disintegrates the ship. A little bubble forms and is sucked into the Quasar. On the other side of the Quasar, the little bubble emerges, unnoticed by Kala. She contacts Maahox, and informs him that his efforts to harness the Quasar's power is costing them too many people. She threatens to follow up on a threat to destroy him for his failure. Maahox is unfazed; he explains that the recent action wasn't a failure. Looking at an image of the bubble he says, "It seems our captain hasn't failed us after all. In fact, I believe he's become part of the solution." Main Story In the Castle of Arus, Allura is wrapping up a castle tour for Daniel and Vince in the control room. One door leads to a "top-secret" classroom, where three desks sit. Just as Vince asks who the third desk is for, Allura's niece Larmina enters with a sarcastic exclamation of dismay. Vince forms a bad impression, but Daniel seems smitten on sight, ignoring her actual demeanor. Allura starts the lesson, and gives each cadet a Voltcom before turning the lesson over to Lance, who begins the first lesson. The desks disappear and the room transforms into a mini-arena where Lance announces a test of their hand-to-hand combat skills. Larmina opts to go first. Daniel and Vince bicker over who's going to fight a girl. Larmina challenges them both simultaneously, and starts by easily flooring them. In The Den, Pidge is on the comm with Keith, who is still en route from Tarvos in the newly liberated Black Lion. Analyzing the lion's status, Pidge reports that the weapons are down and the it deperately needs a recharge. Unfortunately for Keith, a fleet of GA fractal fighters is approaching. Keith realizes that Wade installed a tracking device in his lion; Pidge can't locate it before the fighters will reach him. Wade gets a call in his office about the squadron's approach; he gives the order to attack and recover the lion. He requests a status on Lance, Pidge and Hunk, whom he wants to question. The reply reports that they cannot be found. Pidge is still trying to help Keith, when his workstation flares an alert: he, Hunk, and Lance are to report to security. Pidge and Hunk flee in a ship, downloading their Den intelligence. While scanning the data, Pidge notices images of Lotor and sees the face of Haggar in an image of space! Meanwhile, the fractal attack on Keith begins. In Maahox's lab, Kala and Maahox watch as a mysterious purple energy rejuvenate a body. The body's eyes open, and Maahox cackles, "Welcome back... King Lotor." On Arus, the cadets are still sparring. The boys are on the floor and Larmina is barely winded. Vince and Daniel finally manage to knock Larmina down with an old playground trick. The fight is about to get serious, but Lance stops it. Based on each cadet's fight performance, he explains, the Voltcom will select an appropriate energy weapon. Larmina pushes a button, and gets a staff that can also extend into nunchuks. Daniel gets claws on his hands and feet. Vince's Voltcom shorts out; he'll have to get it looked at later. Lance announces the beginning of the second lesson, and the room furnishings fade away. They're now standing in a large simulator room. Vince announces, "it's a lion simulator!" Meanwhile, Keith is in trouble, outnumbered and weaponless. Pidge advises him of a nearby asteroid field, and Keith runs for cover. Outside Maahox's lab, Lotor is getting used to his new condition. Maahox educates him that he was resurrected with Haggarium, a dark material containing the essence of the late witch Haggar. He introduces himself and Kala, and informs him that they are united by a common hatred... Voltron. Lotor starts to rage, but Maahox stays him. Kala's plan is in motion, and Maahox points to a robeast coffin that sails across the sky. Daniel and Vince are having a blast with the simulators, but Larmina is just not getting the hang of it. Pidge calls in to Allura and Lance, with some images of the Haggar space-face and the fractals on Keith's tail. In space, Keith evades the fighters, hoping between asteroids and swatting them around as projectile weapons. Pidge has located the tracking beacon on the black lion, and Keith's space mouse chews it to pieces. The cadets' simulator session ends, and Lance and Allura explain to the cadets that they, "believe a dark evil is rising," and that each cadet has a special role to play. The explanation is cut short by an alarm-- Maahox's robeast coffin has been sighted! Lance and Allura must use the lions. Such an action will break GA sanctions, and Arus will face consequences, but Allura asserts that, "we have no choice." The cadets are ordered to stay behind. Lance and Allura grab their keys and head out. Wade gets a report. The black lion has been lost. The red and blue lions have been activated on Arus. Wade discovers that his badge which had contained the keys has been swapped with a fake. Keith makes to head back to Arus, but his lion has lost power, and loses contact with Pidge. Allura updates Pidge on the coffin sighting. Luckily, Pidge is close to the black lion; they'll be towing him back. The red and blue lions approach the coffin, but it's too late. The robeast looms behind them and combat begins. The red lion gets tossed, and Lance is unconcious. Daniel, watching on monitors, can't take it anymore. He grabs a key and heads out in the yellow lion to join the fight; as he arrives, Lance reports his arm is probably broken. In combat, Daniel's earlier playground trick inspires a similar trick with the lions, and they finally knock the robeast off its feet. The three lions have it partially pinned, but they need help. Luckily, Larmina arrives in the Green Lion, with Vince as co-pilot. Keith is anxious. Pidge needs to get the lion some power. He shows Keith how to transfer his Voltcom's power to the Black Lion, and the lion roars toward Arus, with Pidge and Hunk following. The Black Lion's power dies again before it gets into Arus' atmosphere. Hunk sets the ship to give it one more push by ramming it just after he and Pidge evacuate. The lions are still struggling with the robeast. Suddenly the Black Lion plunges to the ground, knocking the robeast's head off as it lands. The battle over, the pilots step out. Pidge interrupts the reunion via volt-com; he and Hunk are free-floating in space in their Voltcom-generated space suits and they could really use a pick-up. Soon after, everyone gathers for a long-overdue reunion in the Castle of Lions. Lotor is angry watching footage of the robeast's defeat, but Commander Kala explains that the defeat was planned. The robeast was a "relic," and the main goal was to draw Voltron out once more. Maahox explains that they can create better beasts; they will use natural creatures with killer talents honed by nature, enhanced with intelligence and strategic reasoning skills. He pushes a button and a containment chamber forms around Kala; to her horror, Maahox reveals that her mind will provide the mental talents for the next robeast! She collapses in a glow of purple Haggarium light. Lotor approves. Featured Characters * Daniel * Vince * Larmina * Keith * Lance * Pidge * Allura * Hunk * Coran * a space mouse * Sky Marshall Wade and his pet lion * Lotor * Maahox * Kala Quotes "Unity is our core." :—'Allura' "There's a lot more to being part of the Voltron Force than piloting the lions." :—'Lance' "I'll take you both on." :—'Larmina' settles the debate over whether Daniel or Vince will spar with her "You ladies haven't been in a lot of fights, have ya?" :—'Lance' "Command the pilots to prove their worth and recover that lion... in as many pieces as necessary." :—'Wade' wants the Black Lion back "I feel a... strange sensation running through my veins." "That's only natural, having just been raised from grave with the power of Haggarium." "H-haggarium? As in the witch Haggar?" "The very essence of Haggar, my lord." :—'Lotor' and Maahox "What she lacks in personality she makes up for in tactical brilliance... and blood lust." :—'Maahox' introduces Kala "Lance taught them well. Luckily, I'm a better pilot than Lance." :—'Keith' weighs the skills of the pilots that persue him "Pidge, what's your ETA?" "Doing the best we can!" "Well hurry! Lance and Allura really need your help!" "Um, who was that?" :—'Vince' calls for Pidge's backup; Keith is confused "You're still rockin' the mullet? Man, you have been underground for a long time." "Yeah, we'll have to do something about that." :—'Lance' and Allura "Don't fight it, dear commander. I promise, you'll love what I've done with you." :—'Maahox''s words of encouragement as Kala's transformation begins Notes * This episode first premiered cut together with the first and third episodes as the 90-minute movie "The Trilogy" on June 16, 2011 at 8:30pm EDT.New Animated Series, "Voltron Force," Premieres on Nicktoons June 16, Nicktoons press release posted at The Futon Critic Goofs and Plotholes * It's unclear how the Black Lion managed to land safely on Arus after it used up the last of its power, not to mention how he could have been able to aim his flight path at the robeast's head. That lion should have crashed down like a meteor strike. References Category:Voltron Force episodes